Varanasi City Map

Varanasi City Map

Disclaimer: All efforts have been made to make this image accurate. However Compare Infobase Limited and its directors do not own any responsibility for the correctness or authenticity of the same.

Varanasi, the Oldest City of India

Historical Background

Varanasi, also known as Benaras and Kashi is situated in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh
. It is considered a holy city in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. It lies on the banks of river Ganges and is located 300 km south east of capital Lucknow. It is known as the most ancient city of India and is also referred to as the city of temples. The city is regarded as the cultural and religious capital of India for thousands of years. Varanasi is also known for its Lord Buddha connection, as he gave his first sermon at Sarnath, which is located near Varanasi.

Varanasi also known as "the city of lights" and "the city of learning" is one of the oldest cities in the world. Ancient Hindu scriptures also mention the city and that is the reason it's considered a sacred city and an important pilgrimage destination for Hindus. Jericho in Palestine also shares the title of being the oldest existing city in the world. Varanasi was a trade centre two thousand years ago and various commodities were produced and sold here such as muslin and silk fabrics, ivory works, sculptures and perfumes. According to Chinese traveller Xuanzang, the city was spread over around five km along the bank of the river Ganges.

Spiritual Dimension of Varanasi

Western travelers mostly visit the city in search of Niravana and spiritual peace. Varanasi has a lot of attractions and experiences to offer the visitors, including the boat ride at sunrise, the high banks of the ancient "Ghats", the unending chain of shrines, temple and hermitages. Religious fervor is present all around, which is unique for the foreigners. Overseas travelers revel in the bliss of spiritual experiences like deliverance from sins, meditation and mystical music. According to Hindu religious beliefs, dying in Benaras ensures freedom from the cycle of birth and death, so many devotees throng the city when they think their final hour has come.

Major Attractions

Kashi Vishwanath Temple with a gold plate spire of 16meters is a famous ancient temple. The eighth century Durga Temple is abode of thousands of monkeys, whereas the Sankatmochan temple is a symbol of monkey God Hanuman. Bharat Mata Temple has a map of India carved in marble, whereas Tulsi Manas Temple has the scenes and verses inscribed on its walls depicting the story of Hindu avatar Lord Rama. The Sakshi Vinayaka Temple, Bindu Madhav Temple, Kaal Bhairav Temple, and Nepali Temple are other famous temples.

Other major attractions of Varanasi are Alamagir Mosque, Man Mandir Observatory, Banaras Hindu University, Sarnath, Ram Nagar Fort and Gauri Matha Temple. Panchganga Ghat, Manikarnika Ghat, Dasaswamedh Ghat, Rana Ghat, and Kedar Ghat are famous ghats along the bank of River Ganges. Varanasi is well connected by rail and road networks with the rest of India. Jet Airways, Kingfisher, Spicejet and Indian Airlines are available for Varanasi from Delhi and Mumbai.

Blogs about Varanasi

Why Arvind Kejriwal Lost from Varanasi : According to Kejriwal, it was the people's will that he take on the Goliath personified by Narendra Modi in Varanasi. But the results have proved otherwise; not only has Kejriwal lost in Varanasi, in terms of vote share his performance can only be termed as dismal (1.79 lakh against Modi's 5.16 lakh, as I write this). Added to the fiasco in Delhi, this event has the AAP to a new low from which it will…

General Elections 2014 – Day 68 : We are merely a step away from entering the third act of the political drama of elections 2014. Tomorrow is the last phase of polling (in 41 constituencies), after which the moment of truth will soon arrive on the 16th. Today, the last Sunday before completion of the election, witnessed parties on tenterhooks, already busy strategising for the post-poll scenario. As it has been pretty much the case in the last few days, today also…

General Elections 2014 – Day 67 : Campaigning has now officially ended for General Elections 2014. The operative word is "official", because in the age of 24/7 television, politicians will always work out a way to canvass for votes till the very end. The last day of campaigning saw Rahul Gandhi take on Narendra Modi by campaigning in Varanasi. Also, the battle between Election Commission and the BJP continued to drag on, with CEC V.S. Sampath giving a string of interviews to defend the commission's…

General Elections 2014 – Day 59 : Only a fortnight remains for India to choose its next government. As the dust of elections is starting to slowly settle in many places, major political parties are doing their last desperate bid to ramp up support in the seats which are yet to be polled. All eyes are now on the two high profile seats of Varanasi and Amethi. Any possible upset in either of the two can even change the course of politics…

Why Narendra Modi chose to contest from Varanasi : One of the most discussed political issues in the recent times has been Narendra Modi’s decision to take part in the ongoing assembly polls from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. The primary question being asked in this regard is what will Modi gain from this decision? In fact, such a decision had been anticipated by many in the last couple of months. Yet, when the announcement regarding this was made by the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is…